This invention relates generally to the field of housings for portable hand held devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a plastic and metal laminated housing for a palmtop computer.
Portable hand held devices such palmtop computers have become widely accepted as personal and business organizational tools. As such, many users constantly carry such devices with them. Such constant use requires that the housing for such devices meet a number of criteria. The housing should be aesthetically appealing. Simultaneously, the housing should be very rugged to protect the inner electronics from damage in the event of a drop. As such devices become more and more powerful, the need for strength in the housing is at odds with the need to minimize the amount of volume occupied by the housing, and thus unavailable for packaging the electronics. Moreover, any latching mechanism used to hold the housing together should minimize any volume occupied and provide a secure latching system to prevent the disengagement of the housing parts.
The present invention relates generally to a laminated housing for a portable hand held device such as a palmtop computer. Objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention.
In one embodiment consistent with the present invention a laminated housing for a portable hand held device such as a palmtop computer is provided. A metal front cover is bonded with a thermoplastic adhesive to a plastic midframe to form a front housing laminate. A metal rear housing member is bonded with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a plastic substrate to form a rear housing laminate. A latch arrangement including a plurality of latch fingers along the edge attach the front housing laminate with the rear housing laminate. A latch arrangement having a pair of L-shaped latch ribs that engage with a T-shaped latch member by torsion of the L-shaped latch ribs into engagement with pockets adjacent the T-shaped latch member prevent movement of the two housing laminates in relation to one another. This provides a housing arrangement and latching arrangement that has advantages such as being very strong, while providing shielding and resistance to disengagement of the housing members on impact.
In another embodiment consistent with the present invention, a laminated housing assembly for a portable hand held device includes a metal front cover having an inner surface. A plastic midframe has a front surface partially conforming to a contour of the metal front cover. A first adhesive bonds the metal front cover with the plastic midframe at the conforming contour of the front surface of the midframe to form a front housing laminate. A metal rear housing has an inner surface. A plastic substrate has a bonding surface that at least partially conforms to the inner surface of the metal rear housing. A second adhesive bonds the metal rear housing to the plastic substrate at the inner surface and bonding surface to form a rear housing laminate. The front housing laminate is mechanically fastened to the rear housing laminate. In another embodiment consistent with the present invention, a laminated housing assembly for a palmtop computer includes a metal front cover having an inner surface. A plastic midframe has a front surface partially conforming to a contour of the metal front cover. A thermoplastic adhesive bonds the metal front cover with the plastic midframe at the conforming contour of the front surface of the midframe to form a front housing laminate. A metal rear housing has an inner surface. A plastic substrate has a bonding surface that at least partially conforms to the inner surface of the metal rear housing. A pressure sensitive adhesive bonding the metal rear housing to the plastic substrate at the inner surface and bonding surface to form a rear housing laminate. The front housing laminate is mechanically attached to the rear housing laminate.
In another embodiment, a laminated housing assembly for a palmtop computer includes a metal front cover having an inner surface and an aperture. A plastic midframe has a front surface partially conforming to a contour of the metal front cover, the midframe including a support structure for supporting a circuit board and a display. An infrared lens is molded into the midframe to permit infrared signals to pass through the housing. A die cut thermoplastic adhesive layer bonds the metal front cover with the plastic midframe at the conforming contour of the front surface of the midframe to form a front housing laminate. The display is exposed through an aperture in the front housing laminate. A metal rear housing has an inner surface and at least one void therein adjacent an electrical interface. A plastic substrate has a bonding surface that at least partially conforms to the inner surface of the metal rear housing, the plastic substrate including a plurality of plastic strengthening ribs. A die cut pressure sensitive adhesive layer bonds the metal rear housing to the plastic substrate at the inner surface and bonding surface to form a rear housing laminate, wherein the plastic substrate is exposed through the void adjacent the electrical interface. A latching arrangement mechanically latches the front housing laminate to the rear housing laminate. A plurality of screws countersunk into the metal rear housing engage bosses in the midframe to hold rear housing laminate to the midframe.
The above summaries are intended to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, which will be best understood in conjunction with the detailed description to follow, and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.